Posts Tagged ‘Eastlake’

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Common Ashtabula Heat Pump Performance Problems

Monday, March 26th, 2012

Your Ashtabula heat pump needs to work year round to provide heat and air conditioning. This is why you want to make sure it’s performing as efficiently as possible to save on energy costs and prevent break downs. You should schedule an annual maintenance check-up and inspection with a certified Ashtabula HVAC technician to test the efficiency levels.

However, there are a few common causes of performance issues to be aware of so that you can be sure your heat pump performs at optimal levels. Call Apple Heating & Cooling if you have questions about heat pump performance issues, or to make an appointment for an annual inspection and professional cleaning.

Airflow Issues

There should always be a certain amount of airflow (measured in cubic feet per minute) in your heat pump to maintain proper efficiency levels. If the airflow is less than 350 cfm per ton, it could increase your energy costs. You should make sure your HVAC contractor checks the airflow whenever your heat pump is inspected. Always keep the coils clean. Sometimes the ducts are not the right size, or the fan speed needs to be increased, but often cleaning the coils will help airflow, which is why it is important to clean and maintain the components of your heat pump. A certified technician will know what methods are best, so if you suspect an airflow problem with your heat pump, call a professional heating technician.

Air Leaks in the Duct System

Inefficient or poorly-designed duct systems may not distribute air properly throughout your home because of potential air leaks. There should always be a balance between the intake and return air in a forced air system, which helps maintain a neutral pressure within the house and increase efficiency. Some contractors argue over how tightly a house should be sealed for this reason, but if your heat pump is losing heat through leaks in the air ducts, this will greatly affect its efficiency.

Improper Refrigerant

Refrigerant leaks are another common cause of low performance levels in heat pumps. Most heat pumps already have refrigerant when they leave the factory and shouldn’t have any issues. Heat pumps that are charged with refrigerant when they are installed can sometimes have the wrong amount of refrigerant. Either too much or too little refrigerant will lower the heat pump’s efficiency and performance levels. Always check the recommended refrigerant amount or ask an HVAC technician before you add refrigerant yourself.

If the heat pump in your Ashtabula home isn’t working properly, it is also affecting your heating bills. Call Apple Heating & Cooling to set up an appointment.

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Austinburg Solar Installation Tip: What to Know Before Going Solar

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

If you’re preparing to make the leap to solar power for your Austinburg home, there are a few things you need to know. From the cost of installation to the maintenance needs of that solar system and the amount of energy you can expect to pull out of the sun’s rays on a cold, wintery day, you’ll want to be prepared for whatever you’ll be up against.

Cost and Maintenance

The cost of solar panels has dropped quite a bit in recent years. In fact, the cost per watt is down to less than $8 and in some cases, can be as low as $5 due to state and federal rebates for using solar power. Maintenance costs are also low if you consider the fact that solar systems are self-sustaining and only need to be checked as often as your electrical system. The lifespan of these systems is also very long, up to 25 years in most cases.

Dependability in Bad Climates

While it is true that you will get a better return from solar panels in southern states like Arizona or in higher elevations where exposure is greater, most solar systems are very dependable. Because you can wire your system into the power grid, you can offset the low times with peak performance in the summer. Most people won’t even use all of the electricity they generate during long summer hours (especially when on vacation!) so they can make it up in the winter.

Hot Water and Heating

Most people picture photovoltaic panels when they think of solar power, but you can get an equal number of benefits from solar panels for your hot water or heating system. These passive solar systems are even less expensive than PV electrical systems and recuperate their costs in under 10 years in most cases.

Solar power is highly efficient, clean and increasingly affordable for any Austinburg homeowners. If you are getting ready to make a major upgrade to your electrical or heating system, consider the benefits that are to be had with solar panels. If you have any questions about how this kind of system would work in your home, give Apple Heating & Cooling a call!

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Bratenahl Heating Tip: Geothermal vs. Solar

Friday, January 6th, 2012

If you are looking for a more environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional methods for home heating in Bratenahl, you will probably consider both solar and geothermal options. Each of these relies on a great renewable resource to function and can be an excellent option depending on your specific circumstances. Of course, both geothermal and solar heating have limitations as well, so it is important to take these into account when you are evaluating your options.

A geothermal heating system works by extracting heat from the ground and transferring that to the air in your Bratenahl house. This occurs when heat is absorbed by a fluid flowing through a closed loop of pipes beneath or next to your home. The fluid then returns to your home, where the heat is extracted by a compressor and distributed throughout the house by an air handler.

This uses very little energy relative to a conventional heating system, as you only have to power the condenser and the air handler. The heat is not generated by the system but merely harvested, so total energy costs are quite low. However, the installation cost of a geothermal heating system can be many times what a conventional heating system would cost.

Solar heating relies on solar collectors to gather the heat from the sun. This heat is then passed into a system of heat pumps and heat exchangers so that it can be adequately distributed throughout your house. The installation of heat collectors, of course, is quite expensive as well, while the cost of running the system is generally low just as with the geothermal heat pump.

One advantage to opting for a solar heating system is that you can lease the equipment rather than buying it in some areas. This means that you do not have to pay the high installation costs and only pay a monthly fee to use the equipment which is usually comparable to what an average heating bill would be if you had a furnace.

But you also have to keep in mind that you need to have enough space to put up an adequate number of solar collectors to keep your house warm all winter. This often means giving up a lot of land, and if you have a lot, that is fine. But it is still something you need to take into consideration. Also, you need to make sure that the area you live in gets enough direct sunlight to make solar heating a viable option. Otherwise, you will be paying to run a backup system much of the time anyway.

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How to Get the Best Heat Pump: A Tip from Eastlake

Monday, November 14th, 2011

Everybody wants a good deal, especially when making a major purchase for their Eastlake home. People want their money’s worth. They want to feel like they got the best they could for the money they spent.

But how do you decide what the best option is, especially when choosing a product that you know little about, like a heat pump? The average homeowner does not spend a lot of time studying his heat pump or reading heat pump magazines for fun, so chances are you are not a heat pump expert. That’s understandable…but it doesn’t help you when you are trying to buy a new one and you want the best.

Fortunately, there some things you can look for to get clues about the quality of a heat pump and how well it suits your needs.

Efficiency is among the most important factors in choosing a heat pump. Because heat pumps can be used for both heating and cooling, they have two different efficiency ratings, one for each mode.

The heating efficiency for a heat pump is rated on a scale called the heating season performance factor (HSPF). This rating is actually the result of a calculation. To find the HSPF for a heat pump, the unit’s estimated heating output is divided by its energy consumption. Simply put, it’s the ratio of heat put out by the unit to the amount of power it draws. The higher the HSPF, the more efficient the heat pump is. To give a frame of reference, all new heat pumps are required to have an HSPF of at least 7.7. The most efficient units available carry an HSPF of 10.

The rating system used to convey the cooling efficiency of a heat pump is the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER). This is a simple numeric value that rates how efficient the unit is. Many new heat pumps carry a SEER of at least 12, while the most efficient models rate between 14 and 18.

While efficiency is important, it is just one factor. More efficient units are also more expensive, so you will want to consider the upfront cost. The most efficient units will pay for themselves in savings relatively quickly, but the purchase price is still important. Be sure to weigh all the pros and cons when choosing a new heat pump. For more information, talk to your local contractor.

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Save Money in the Long Haul with AC Maintenance: A Hint From Eastlake

Friday, August 19th, 2011

Every year, it’s recommended that you have an Eastlake HVAC contractor visit your home and tune up your air conditioner. This visit will ensure the system is ready for the intense, regular use it will receive during the hottest months of the year. How much money can this visit save you, though? Let’s take a closer look.

Cost of Operating Your Air Conditioning

An air conditioning system on average costs a homeowner between $500 and $1500 per year to operate depending on the length of the cooling season and the efficiency of that air conditioner. That number represents top efficiency for the unit, however. When a system has dirty filters, hasn’t been cleaned properly or the thermostat is no longer calibrated accurately, the cost increases – sometimes dramatically.

Just how much more could you be spending on cooling each month when this happens? The EPA’s Energy Star website estimates an increase in cost of between 10-30% resulting from poorly maintained systems, and it can be even higher if your system is old and is severely affected by a drop in energy efficiency.

Annual Tune Up Necessities

So, what should be at the top of your tune up list? If you call a contractor, they will perform a variety of tasks including:

  • Inspect Coolant and Pressure Systems
  • Calibrate the Thermostat
  • Tighten Wiring, Capacitors, Relays and Contacts
  • Clean the Evaporator Coil
  • Clear and Clean the Condenser and Condensate Drain
  • Inspect the Condenser Fan and Motor
  • Check Compressor Efficiency

This is just a starter list for standard tune up of a central air conditioning unit. You can supplement this tune up by checking your filters once every 30 days and clearing away debris from around any outdoor units. You should also check your thermostat monthly to ensure it is working properly. If not, call for an inspection to avoid heavy increases in operating costs.

Major repairs to your air conditioning system generally take less than a day and when you’re on an annual maintenance plan, they cost significantly less than if you needed someone to fix the device in an emergency situation.

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Tips for Upgrading Your Central Air Conditioner

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

When the time comes to upgrade your central air conditioner, you will have a lot of things to take into account. If you were generally satisfied with the performance of your old system, it can be very tempting to stick with a similar model. But if you do not examine all of the options out there right now, you may very well be missing out on a great deal.

If you already have a central air conditioner in place, chances are that you also have ductwork throughout your house. In that case, you will probably be better off with a packaged air conditioner as opposed to a split system. If it is a split system you are replacing, however, you should probably keep your search limited to other split systems. Installing a packaged air conditioner when you do not already have ducts in place can dramatically increase the overall cost of the project.

You will also want to make sure that the system you choose is compatible with the heating system and air handler that you already have in place. Most central air conditioning systems can be integrated easily with all types of heating systems, but you should still check to make sure this will not be a problem, particularly if you have an older heating system.

In terms of picking out the right new system for your home, energy efficiency is probably the main factor to consider. While just about every air conditioner on the market right now will be much more efficient than the unit you are replacing, you want to make sure you get a model that will provide you with the optimal savings in the long run.

This does not necessarily mean that you should go out and buy the most energy efficient air conditioner out there. In fact, because the more energy efficient units are also typically more expensive, you may not actually save money by going that route. But you will do well to choose a unit that will save you enough monthly to offset the installation costs and for most people, that means that you will want an air conditioner that is either a SEER 14 or SEER 16.

Of course, the actual amount of money you will save as you move up through the SEER rankings depends on how much you use your air conditioner to begin with. If you live somewhere with very hot weather and you use your unit for a large chunk of the year, it may very well be worth it for you to opt for a very high efficiency model.

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Attic Fans – Cool Your House Quickly

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

When you’re worried about keeping your home cool in the summer, having a good air conditioning system is probably the first thing that comes to mind. And a high-quality, energy efficient air conditioner is definitely an important component of your home comfort system. But if you really want to get the most out of that air conditioner without paying too much in energy costs, you should look into having an attic fan installed as well.

The Value of a Good Attic Fan

So why do you need an attic fan if you already have an air conditioner? Well, to begin with, a great deal of the heat that comes into your house during the summer does so directly through the roof of your home. As the sun beats down on your roof hour after hour, heat is constantly being transferred through the roof and into your attic. And as the temperature in your attic rises, some of that heat is transferred to the air in your living spaces as well.

Of course, with your state of the art air conditioner in place, you probably won’t even be aware that this is taking place. But because the heat coming into your attic raises the temperature in other parts of your home, your air conditioner is working that much harder to maintain a comfortable temperature in all living spaces. And that means it’s using more energy than necessary to keep your house cool.

One easy way to combat this situation is to put in an attic fan. Many of these devices even run on solar power, so once they’re in place, they cost you virtually nothing to operate. A good attic fan will switch on anytime the temperature in your attic gets above a certain level and will work quickly to channel that extra heat right back outside. This means that your attic temperature will stay at a reasonable level, and the rest of your house will not be impacted by the heat coming in through the roof.

While an attic fan isn’t a terribly complicated piece of equipment to install, it’s worth it to have the job done by a professional because it does involve cutting a hole in your roof all the way through to your attic. A professional can make sure that the hole is in the proper place and sealed up tightly so water, bugs and other debris don’t find their way in.

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Indoor Air Quality Options

Monday, June 27th, 2011

Maintaining high indoor air quality is always worth investing time and money in. After all, if the air inside your home isn’t healthy, it can cause all kinds of health problems for you and your family. The state of the art home heating and cooling systems we have today make it possible to enjoy a perfectly temperature controlled indoor environment all year long, but they also trap indoor air pollutants and contaminants inside without proper ventilation.

Choosing a System that Works

Luckily there are a number of great products out there designed to remove these pollutants before they cause you and your family discomfort or illness. Before you run out to buy a new system, however, you should first consider what each has to offer and what pollutants you need to remove. You might have some idea about this already, but the best thing to do is talk to a professional who can help assess your indoor air and determine which types of contaminants are most prevalent in your home.

Different types of indoor air cleaners are better at targeting different types of contaminants. For instance, HEPA filters can remove up to 99.97% of particulate contaminants that measure 0.3 microns or larger. This includes things like pollen, pet dander, dust mites and mold spores, so if these are the things you want to target, an indoor air system that uses HEPA filters is probably right for you.

However, if you’re more concerned with getting rid of smoke odors and cooking fumes, you probably want a system that targets even smaller particles. Air ionizers are more appropriate for these types of indoor air quality issues, as they can effectively remove much smaller particles than most HEPA filters. On the flip side, ionizers aren’t as efficient at removing the larger contaminant particles, so if you want to target both small and large contaminants, you need a system that combines both of these technologies.

Bacteria and viruses are also a problem when they find their way into your indoor air and they can be particularly tricky to get rid of. HEPA filters and air ionizers both have trouble completely eradicating these pathogens, but UV germicidal lights can be incorporated into your indoor air cleaning system to tackle biological contaminants effectively.

No matter what type of home air quality problem you have, there is a system on the market that will target and remove the pollutant. The key is to know which pollutants effect you the most and which products will do the best job of removing them from your home.

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How Bad Is the Air in Your Home?

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

Every day you hear about another awful contaminant that can get into your home’s air supply. Radon gas. Carbon Monoxide. Nitrogen Dioxide. Smoke. Mold. The list gets longer with each passing year and many homeowners are understandably worried. However, before you run out and by the newest lineup of filters, purifiers, and UV lights, stop and think about just how bad your indoor air actually is.

When Was Your Home Built?

Homes built in the last 10-15 years tend to be well ventilated and may even have air quality systems already in place. It’s those built in the late 1970s and early 1980s that tend to have the worst ventilation (assuming they have not been updated since then).

This kind of poor ventilation can be dangerous, but usually only in that you have less fresh air and more indoor allergens and contaminants. Specifically, you’re most likely to suffer from things like pet dander, dust, pollen, and dirt in the air. On their own, these are not dangerous, but without fresh air to circulate them outside and ensure you get a steady, clean supply of air to breathe, they can make you ill.

How Bad Can It Get?

While it’s rare, some homes suffer from more advanced contaminations. The most common is mold. Mold grows primarily in dark, damp spaces. If your humidity levels get too high in the summer, the ductwork in your house is perfect for mold and it will blow the spores directly into your air, putting everyone at risk.

You should also be wary of exhaust fumes from your appliances that may not get properly removed from the house. Both of these problems can be fixed with regular duct and exhaust cleaning.

Outdoor contaminants can also make it into your indoor air. Things like exhaust and smoke, gas, radon, or other outdoor pollutants should be tested for when you setup a new indoor air quality system. There are filters and purifiers that will remove almost all of these contaminants, but they are not always required, so you should check before making a decision.

Ultimately, the odds are that your home suffers only from some stale, dusty air. But, it is very important to keep everything clean and test it regularly to make sure nothing worse develops. Poor air quality is about more than just comfort – it’s an honest health issue.

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What Is a Load Calculation and Why Is It Important?

Monday, May 16th, 2011

An integral part of designing and installing a heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system is the load calculation. Calculating the load of a room, home, or building essentially consists of determining how much heat is lost and gained within that area. A proper load calculation is critical to installing an appropriate HVAC system, as well as ensuring maximum efficiency or diagnosing problem areas of an existing system.

The Load Calculation Process

When conducting a load calculation for your home or office, a professional will consider several factors that can affect heat loss and gain. First among these is the construction of the building. This includes not only cubic footage, but also the type of material making up the walls, ceiling and floor, as well as any duct work. A professional performing a load calculation will examine the entire building envelope, including whether the walls are wood or masonry, if there are cathedral ceilings, what type of insulation is installed, and so on.

Secondly, load calculation takes into account doors and windows, as these can affect heat gain and loss. The number of doors and windows, as well as the size, shape and material of each one is included in the load calculation. This includes skylights and sliding glass doors, as well as the type of material shading any windows. A professional will look at pane thickness, number of panes in each window, if there are storm windows installed, any drafts in door installations, and even what kind of drapes are on the windows in order to accurately calculate load.

Additional Factors

There are other factors a professional must take into account, including appliances and occupants. Heavy appliances tend to give off heat, as does having a lot of people in a space, so these must be considered in order for an HVAC system to properly regulate temperature and airflow. Last but not least, of course, is the matter of desired temperature change. By how much do you want to raise and lower the temperature of your home or office?

Calculating load prior to installing a new HVAC system is a vital part of the process. It is also a good idea to perform a calculation with current systems, as it may reveal already existing inefficiencies or deficiencies. An inefficient HVAC system not only results in unsatisfactory heating and cooling, but also unnecessary cost due to wasted energy. As you can see load calculation is an elaborate and complex process, but it is necessary for a properly functioning HVAC system.

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